0000000000737712
AUTHOR
Praveen Vashist
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Vitamin C Deficiency in North and South India: A Two Centre Population Based Study in People Aged 60 Years and Over
BackgroundStudies from the UK and North America have reported vitamin C deficiency in around 1 in 5 men and 1 in 9 women in low income groups. There are few data on vitamin C deficiency in resource poor countries.ObjectivesTo investigate the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in India.DesignWe carried out a population-based cross-sectional survey in two areas of north and south India. Randomly sampled clusters were enumerated to identify people aged 60 and over. Participants (75% response rate) were interviewed for tobacco, alcohol, cooking fuel use, 24 hour diet recall and underwent anthropometry and blood collection. Vitamin C was measured using an enzyme-based assay in plasma stabilized …
Prevalence of early and late age-related macular degeneration in India: the INDEYE study.
Purpose.: To estimate the prevalence of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in India. Methods.: Of 7518 people aged 60 years and older identified from randomly sampled villages in North and South India, 5853 (78%) attended an eye examination including fundus photography. Fundus images were graded according to the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading System. Results.: Fundus images were ungradable in 1587 people, mainly because of cataract. People 80 years of age and older were less likely to attend the eye examination and more likely to have ungradable images. For ages 60 to 79 years, the percent prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) were late AMD 1.2 (0.8–1.5); a…
Genetic variants in a sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter gene and age-related cataract
BACKGROUND: Cataract is a major health burden in many countries and a significant problem in India. While observational studies show lower cataract risk with increasing dietary or plasma vitamin C, randomised controlled trials of supplements have been negative. Genetic variants in vitamin C transporter proteins (SLC23A1), especially rs33972313, may provide evidence on a causal association of vitamin C with cataract. METHODS: We used data from a randomly selected population-based study in people aged 60 years and above in north and south India. Of 7518 sampled, 5428 (72%) were interviewed for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, attended hospital for lens imaging and blood collection and wer…
EPHA2 polymorphisms and age-related cataract in India.
Objective: We investigated whether previously reported single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of EPHA2 in European studies are associated with cataract in India. Methods: We carried out a population-based genetic association study. We enumerated randomly sampled villages in two areas of north and south India to identify people aged 40 and over. Participants attended a clinical examination including lens photography and provided a blood sample for genotyping. Lens images were graded by the Lens Opacification Classification System (LOCS III). Cataract was defined as a LOCS III grade of nuclear >= 4, cortical >= 3, posterior sub-capsular (PSC) >= 2, or dense opacities or aphakia/pseudophakia i…
Use of Cooking Fuels and Cataract in a Population-Based Study: The India Eye Disease Study.
BACKGROUND: Biomass cooking fuels are commonly used in Indian households, especially by the poorest socioeconomic groups. Cataract is highly prevalent in India and the major cause of vision loss. The evidence on biomass fuels and cataract is limited. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of biomass cooking fuels with cataract and type of cataract. METHODS: We conducted a population-based study in north and south India using randomly sampled clusters to identify people ≥ 60 years old. Participants were interviewed and asked about cooking fuel use, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and attended hospital for digital lens imaging (graded using the Lens Opacity Classification System III), ant…
Inverse association of vitamin C with cataract in older people in India.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between vitamin C and cataract in the Indian setting. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional analytic study. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5638 people aged ≥60 years. METHODS: Enumeration of randomly sampled villages in 2 areas of north and south India to identify people aged ≥60 years. Participants were interviewed for socioeconomic and lifestyle factors (tobacco, alcohol, household cooking fuel, work, and diet); attended a clinical examination, including lens photography; and provided a blood sample for antioxidant analysis. Plasma vitamin C was measured using an enzyme-based assay in plasma stabilized with metaphosphoric acid, and other antioxidants wer…
Prevalence of Cataract in an Older Population in India
Purpose To describe the prevalence of cataract in older people in 2 areas of north and south India. Design Population-based, cross-sectional study. Participants Randomly sampled villages were enumerated to identify people aged ≥60 years. Of 7518 enumerated people, 78% participated in a hospital-based ophthalmic examination. Methods The examination included visual acuity measurement, dilatation, and anterior and posterior segment examination. Digital images of the lens were taken and graded by type and severity of opacity using the Lens Opacity Classification System III (LOCS III). Main Outcome Measures Age- and gender-standardized prevalence of cataract and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). W…